Mobile wireless phone with impact sensor, detects vehicle accidents/thefts, transmits medical exigency-automatically notifies authorities

Abstract

This invention relates to the use and proper placement in a vehicle of a mobile wireless phone having cellular or GPS positioning capability and an impact sensor, e.g. triaxial accelerometer. Said sensor instantly detects a serious vehicular accident or theft, then and without driver or passenger intervention, automatically transmits an emergency appeal for assistance to appropriate Police / Emergency Medical Services (PEMS), or Fire Rescue units, apprizing the PEMS of said exigency and location. Otherwise, the integrated mobile phone system will function in a manner that is similar to a conventional wireless mobile phone. Optionally, the integrated mobile wireless phone may include means for receiving an emergency medical signal and automatically communicates an appeal for emergency assistance when the user having said unit and having a predisposed life threatening medical condition, encounters a life threatening anomaly, e.g., heart attack. System provides means to mitigate multi-vehicle collisions that are normally associated with environmental road hazards fog, ice, etc., by instantly alerting authorities and / or drivers in the region of the location of said hazard when an accident occurs.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is based on provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 494,367 filed on Aug. 12, 2003.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to the use and placement of a mobile wireless phone having a Global Positioning System and a built-in impact sensor, e.g., triaxial accelerometer, will when placed in the cradle of a mated stand automatically and instantly detect a vehicular accident or vehicle theft. The system will within seconds of an accident and without driver or passenger intervention automatically notify appropriate authorities, Police, Emergency Medical Services (PEMS) and / or Fire Rescue units and transmit the vehicles location, vehicle ID, and other important data, by analogue or digital means. Automatic notification can be directed to an organizational dispatcher or optionally to the closest PEMS vehicle(s) that is in the vicinity of the vehicle requesting immediate emergency assistance. Voiceless and direct communication to t...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] The integrated mobile wireless phone, which could be either carried or placed on a person, includes an input jack or wireless means for the purpose of automatically receiving a signal from a user's portable medical or triage apparatus, pacemaker, etc., and without user intervention automatically communicates an appeal for emergency medical assistance, when a life threatening situation is detected. This novel technology would because of the instant notification feature mitigate multi-vehicle collisions (MVC) that are normally associated with environmental road hazards due to roads covered by ice, snow or simply wet and slippery due low traces of hydrocarbons mixed in with the surface moisture or human error. Said hazard could instantly be transmitted to all vehicles in the region.

[0012] The ability to communicate directly with a P / EMS vehicle(s) hinges on the use of essentially flawless vehicle accident, theft and medical characterization technology. This approach eliminates the need for a dispatcher and the associated life threatening time delays when processing information, while providing exacting means to respond to the exigency in the shortest time frame that is technologically possible. It will also substantially reduce the notification time for the P / EMS vehicle(s) to be apprized of the exigency. This cost-effective approach will maximize the probability of saving lives, since seconds count when an injured person(s) is (are) experiencing possible trauma.

[0013] According to one feature the invention, means are provided to use a mobile phone and stand with a built-in impact (motion) sensor that can constantly monitor detect and characterize vehicle accidents and thefts, then automatically and instantly notify appropriate authorities without human intervention. It can be used by all vehicle owners. The present methodology eliminates the need and attendant critical time delays that are manifest when human dispatchers are involved in the processing and routing or P / EMS cruisers during a vehicular life or property threatening emergency. Accurate and timely routing of the nearest P / EMS cruiser to the scene of a life threatening vehicular accident or theft is accomplished by employing real-time, instantaneous, essentially flawless vehicle accident and theft characterization technology, that is electronically coupled to a modified vehicle-to-vehicle global positioning / fleet management and communication system thereby circumventing the need and attendant time delays that are associated with a human dispatcher.

[0015] According to another feature of the invention, this mobile phone system could provide instant notification of an accident that would mitigate multi-vehicle collisions by simply alerting drivers in the region of said hazard, e.g., fog.

Problems solved by technology

“The aforementioned solution for vehicular emergencies fails to recognize that accidents often occur in remote regions where there are no persons or vehicles to witness, hear, or see the various alarms or receive local transmission signals generated by the suggested “small broadcasting equipment.” Even if nearby people were apprized of an accident they would not, with certainty, be qualified to administer first aid.

Further, the possibility of being sued by the injured party for aggravating the persons' injury could preclude direct intervention by any third party that may arrive first at the accident scene.

Finally, calling an emergency “organization” for assistance consumes precious time.

A verbal telephone link must then be established with a dispatcher, but now another delay may be encountered because the dispatcher is on another emergency call.

This time consuming process wastes critical seconds, possibly minutes, as it runs through the aforementioned notification process, while a injured person(s) is (are) in need of immediate and proper medical attention.

While many non-vehicular medical emergencies and thefts may forego the need to secure a wire or wireless telecommunications unit or system, e.g., phone or cell phone, the same aforementioned delays would be encountered when communicating with an organizational dispatcher.

Nothing in the prior art and literature, advances the use and placement of a mobile wireless phone having global positioning technology and a built-in or satellite (mating stand) impact (motion) sensor, e.g., triaxial accelerometer, that will automatically and instantly detect a vehicular accident or vehicle theft and without human intervention notify appropriate authorities.

Furthermore, the prior art and literature does not advance the use of a mobile phone, a wireless telecommunication system that also has the means and without human intervention, to automatically notify appropriate PEMS authorities and instantly seek medical assistance when a person is experiencing a life threatening medical problem, even when the individual is unconscious.

Images